Hosted by Şişli Municipality in collaboration with Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Tourism Branch Directorate and the Destination Management Office, the "Sustainable Destination Management" panel featured the sharing of Berlin's experience in achieving one of the world's most successful destination management practices.
In a groundbreaking move for "Sustainable Tourism" in Türkiye, Şişli Municipality and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Tourism Branch Directorate became members of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Following this membership, both organizations initiated preparations for the Destination Management Program, which is a continuation of the process.
Building on this, in collaboration with Şişli Municipality, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Tourism Branch Directorate, and the Destination Management Office, the "Sustainable Destination Management Panel" took place on October 11, 2023. The panel focused on "Sustainable Destination Management" and shared Berlin's experience in destination management, one of the most experienced cities in this field, with Istanbul.
Prominent figures in the tourism sector spoke at the event, including Muammer Keskin, the Mayor of Şişli Municipality, as well as Hediye Güral Gür, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Hoteliers Association (TÜROB), Ali Güreli, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TTYD), Hüseyin Özgür Özaltun, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Istanbul Tourist Guides Association (İRO), Nuri Şapkacı, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Shopping Centers and Investors (AYD), Firuz Bağlıkaya, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), and Mahir Polat, Deputy Secretary-General of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB).
"Berlin has 240,000 people working in tourism and culture"
Speaking at the "Sustainable Destination Management Panel," visitBerlin CEO Burkhard Kieker noted that visitBerlin was established 30 years ago when the Berlin Wall fell. He said, "Berlin was a wounded city, East and West Berlin were separate, but we had goals. We thought about what we could do for both guests and those living in our city. It is essential to acknowledge the acceptance of tourism and how important it is. We do not separate culture and tourism; we say they are inseparable. In Berlin, 240,000 people work in tourism and culture. We did not want to just manage; we wanted to be a company as well. Last year, our city's tourism revenue was 13 billion euros. We allocate a portion of our tourism revenue to the marketing and promotion of Berlin. When the two Berlins merged, we tried to create a brand. We first questioned what adjectives were associated with Berlin. One word was ahead, and that was freedom. We said, 'Berlin is the city of freedom.' Berlin is a free city for both politics and creativity. Our only boundaries are laws."
"Over 5,700 creative companies are part of the Berlin ecosystem"
Markus Facklam, International Coordinator of Berlin Partner, mentioned that Berlin Partner was established in collaboration with VisitBerlin, and they work together on the topics of smart cities, sustainability, and tourism. Facklam also emphasized their collaboration with the Berlin State Government and shared information about their activities: "We invite investment companies to the region for urban expansion. We particularly need companies in the service sector as an expert workforce. There are 240 companies within Berlin Partner, and all of them aim to develop Berlin. We have a database to assist companies interested in investing. Over 5,700 creative companies are part of the Berlin ecosystem, with 50% of all entrepreneurial companies in Germany located in Berlin. It received 11 billion euros in investment this year. Information about which creative companies exist can be found on our website."
